Mens Curling Standings: Final Round-Robin Day Leaves Semifinal Spots in Flux

Emerson Raymont

Published: February 20, 2026 6:41 PM ET

Mens Curling Standings: Final Round-Robin Day Leaves Semifinal Spots in Flux

With one day of round-robin play remaining at the Winter Olympics, the mens curling standings are set but far from finished: Switzerland and Canada have clinched the top two men's semifinal seeds, while multiple teams remain in contention for the remaining spots. The closing draw will determine which rinks advance and which leave the tournament short of the podium round.

Mens Curling Standings: What happened and what’s new

The standings entering the final session show Switzerland unbeaten at 8-0 and Canada at 7-1, both marked as qualified for the men’s semifinals. The positions behind them are tightly clustered: Great Britain sits at 5-4, Italy and Norway are both 4-4, and the United States is 4-5. Germany is 3-5 and China, Czechia and Sweden sit at 2-6.

Confirmed: Switzerland (8-0) and Canada (7-1) will be the top two seeds in the men's semifinals.
Teams still contesting semifinal berths: Great Britain (5-4), Italy (4-4), Norway (4-4), United States (4-5).
Eliminated from contention: Germany (3-5) is effectively out of playoff contention, along with China, Czechia and Sweden (each 2-6).

The mens curling standings show that Great Britain has completed its round-robin slate, but its place is not guaranteed: two of its defeats were to Italy and Norway, teams that could leapfrog GB with wins on the final day. Italy finishes against Switzerland and Norway plays Canada in the last round.

If both Italy and Norway win their final matches, each would overtake Great Britain to claim the Nos. 3 and 4 semifinal spots, eliminating the defending Olympic silver medalists. If only one of Italy or Norway wins, that victor would secure No. 4 and Great Britain would hold No. 3. If both Italy and Norway lose, the U. S. could slip into the No. 4 slot, but that requires losses by Italy, Norway and China.

Tiebreak procedures could become decisive. The Draw Shot Challenge (DSC) — an averaged pre-game distance measurement used to resolve standings ties — currently favors the United States (17. 663 cm) over Italy (18. 764 cm) and Norway (24. 907 cm), though those averages can change with the final day's throws.

Behind the headline

What changed this week is simple: two teams secured semifinal berths early, narrowing the permutations to a handful of matches and a DSC metric. The incentive for trailing teams is immediate — a single win on the final day can transform elimination into a medal opportunity. That creates pressure on teams finishing their round robin and on those still playing, where opponents include the already-qualified top seeds.

Stakeholders who gain: Teams that win their final matches can secure semifinal spots and preserve medal hopes; the United States could extend its run of recent Olympic semifinal appearances if circumstances fall in its favor.
Stakeholders who lose: Great Britain faces elimination risk despite finishing play; Italy and Norway risk missing out if they lose their final games; teams already at 2-6 are out of the running.
Leverage points: Final-day matchups against top seeds, plus the DSC averages, are decisive tactical and strategic levers.

What we still don’t know

Which combinations of final-day results will ultimately determine the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds in the men's bracket.
How DSC averages will shift after the final pre-game draws and whether that will alter any tiebreak outcomes.
Exact semifinal pairings and how momentum from the final round-robin session will carry into the knockout games.

What happens next

If both Italy and Norway win their final games: Italy and Norway move into the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds, eliminating Great Britain — trigger: wins by Italy and Norway.
If only one of Italy or Norway wins: that winner clinches No. 4 and Great Britain holds No. 3 — trigger: one win between Italy/Norway and the other's loss.
If both Italy and Norway lose and China also loses: the United States would clinch No. 4 — trigger: losses by Italy, Norway and China.
If a multi-team tie remains: DSC averages will decide which team advances — trigger: tied records after final day.
If semifinal seeding is set without tiebreaks: the bracket will lock and teams will pivot to semifinal preparations — trigger: no tied records affecting the final two spots.

Why it matters

Near-term, the final round-robin day will determine which teams remain alive for medals and which conclude their Olympic campaigns. For the United States, an opportunity to continue a recent streak of semifinal appearances remains possible but contingent on other results and DSC performance. For Great Britain, the final standings will determine whether a completed schedule results in advancement or an early exit. The outcomes will also shape semifinal matchups and strategic planning for teams that must now shift from round-robin survival to knockout preparation.

Across both men's and women's tournaments, clinches already achieved — including the women's playoff spots for Sweden and Switzerland — compress the focus onto the remaining permutations. The final draw will resolve standings and set the field for the medal rounds.